The disclosure relates generally to the field of automation control systems, such as those used in commercial or industrial settings. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for an automation controller to receive inputs from varying types of input sources.
Automation controllers are special purpose computers used for controlling industrial automation and the like. Under the direction of stored programs, a processor of the automation controller examines a series of inputs (e.g., electrical input signals to the automation controller) reflecting the status of a controlled process and changes outputs (e.g., electrical output signals from the automation controller) based on analysis and logic for affecting control of the controlled process. The stored control programs may be continuously executed in a series of execution cycles, executed periodically, or executed based on events. The inputs received by the automation controller from the controlled process and the outputs transmitted by the automation controller to the controlled process are generally passed through one or more I/O devices, which are components of an automation control system that serve as an electrical interface between the automation controller and the controlled process. In some embodiments, however, the inputs and outputs of the automation controller may not need to pass through an I/O device. This may occur in smaller automation controllers that may have I/O capabilities already built into the controller.
Traditional automation controllers support both analog and digital inputs. The automation controllers provide a process to affect an input within a fixed time window in order to provide a desired output. However, other devices, such as thermistors, are not compatible as inputs to traditional automation controllers. For instance, because thermistors require a power source in order to properly function, a thermistor signal would have to run through another device before a signal sent out from the thermistor could be input into the automation controller. It is now recognized that it is advantageous to provide a more efficient method of inputting a thermistor signal into an automation controller. As such, an automation controller providing input capabilities for analog, digital, and thermistor inputs is desired.